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Xavier Davis - Rise Up Detroit

Xavier Davis - Rise Up Detroit

DMF2015

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“Rise Up Detroit” is more than just a Detroit-inspired jazz record. Taken individually, any one of the suite’s movements can stand alone as an outstanding piece of music; it has all the elements: beautiful composition, skillful arrangement, excellent musicianship … But Davis’s approach to “Rise Up Detroit” is much more deliberate, much more intentional. It’s wholistic. It’s storytelling.

Perhaps one of the most surprising elements of Dance/Cry/Dance is that English goes to a lot of different places, which is not surprising given that in some ways the record has two different bands, at times featuring Tucker on piano or organ, and at times featuring Zadravec. The rhythmic emphasis is strong throughout, but there’s a variety of grooves. All of them, however, have an emotional quality in common: they make you want to dance.